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November 4, 2009

2 arraigned in cornstalk fires

By Julie Manganis

SALEM — Two men accused of setting decorative cornstalks on fire early on Halloween morning had no answer when a judge asked them why during their arraignments yesterday.

Jason Levesque, 22, of 2 Tremont Place, Salem, and Redford Watkins, 31, of 93 Pine St., Danvers, pleaded not guilty to charges of burning property — the decorative dried stalks that were affixed to light and utility poles around the downtown before Halloween.

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Oct. 31, police spotted cornstalks burning near the intersection of North and Federal streets.

Patrolmen Brian St. Pierre and Rafael Gonzalez put out two fires. Then they spotted two more. And then two more after that.

A driver stopped to tell the officers that there were two men setting the fires as they walked down the street.

A total of seven bunches of cornstalks were torched before police caught up with them.

"You mean they went down the street setting fires?" Judge Richard Mori asked.

When Salem police Lt. Conrad Prosniewski confirmed this, Mori responded, "unreal."

It's an offense that carries up to a three-year prison term.

Prosniewski said he's more interested in finding out whether the city is entitled to restitution.

The two were ordered to return to court Nov. 10 for a pretrial hearing.

In the meantime, they have been ordered to stay out of the downtown area.

"And no more lighting cornstalks on fire, or anything else for that matter," Mori told them.

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